Jerry Corelli Vocal Style

My first vocal performance was at the age of 14 or 15. I had written a song that "Billy Master" of the "The Archers" had re-written with me and performed it with Billy at a Winter Camp in Colorado sponsored by the church I attended, Calvary Temple. This would been the Winter of 72 or 73. I must say the response I received was infectious and I was hooked. From there I began singing in "The Jazz Choir" at Byers Junior High. I was so blessed by learning from two teachers at Byers, Sonya Hall and Dorothy Winteringham. Sonya was the Jazz Choir teacher and allowed me to do solos of songs I'd written. Not sing them but do them during performances in the auditorium (pictured right) for the school. In the ninth grade Sonya had severe back problems and was out for many months. I wrote a song called, "Mrs. Hall" and was able to sing it during a special performance in which she was able to attend.

Then the day came when a friend, Jim Drake, introduced me to a singer's album who, Jim said, I sounded like. I'd never heard the singer before but was very attracted to the singer's voice and songwriting when I heard "Longfellow Serenade". I took the album home and when I returned it to Jim he gave me another album that hooked me as a forever fan of Neil Diamond. The album was the incomporable "Hot August Night" and from that moment on I would end up buying every Neil Diamond album there was and would come out to this day.

Neil Diamond's style of singing though was also the style of many other artists of the day. Singers like Barbara Streisand, Karen Carpenter, John Denver, Jim Croce and others had the same easy listening and smooth style in their vocals. At the time I listened those singers and others too like Frank Sinatra and my fav Bing Crosby. It didn't take long for just about everyone who listened to my voice to always ask me, "Do you know who you sound like?" After awhile my favorite come back would be, "Why yes, Barry Manilow." It was fun for me to look at the expression on their face when I would say that and then they would of course correct me by seriously say, "No, Neil Diamond." At first I felt forever cursed but after awhile I learned to live with it and accept that everyone has to sound like someone and took it as a complement.

Recording the Songs

All of the songs on "Grandfather Moon" were recorded at "Angels Dance Recording Studios" in Tacoma Washington but a few songs traveled 1500 miles to have some more work done on them. My good friend Kevin Mannarino, who lives in Denver, also has a recording studio. Since 1979 Kevin has recorded Lead guitar on several of my albums and when I invited him to do Lead guitar on "Grandfather Moon" he graciously accepted. I simply sent him the songs and in about 2 weeks he sent them back with his Lead guitar on them. The songs with Kevin's Lead guitar are My Future Seems, Grandfather Moon, I'll Never Love Again, I Can't Believe I'm Yours, I Found You, All I've Got Is Me, If I Didn't Have You, Marriage Seed and This Woman In Love With Me.

What'd I Even Come Here For

"What'd I Even Come Here For" was written by a good friend of mine who, along with being a really good songwriter, happens to also be a truck driver. This song reflects the feelings we have when we think about going back to the good ol' days. Then when we do go back to the place, or places, of your past we find that things aren't the way they were and can never be that way again. Inevitably we as ourselves, "What'd I Even Come Here For". Words & Music by Rich Green

Jerry Corelli

Will You Marry Me

The first wedding song I wrote was "Marriage Seed" and a few years later "Will You Marry Me" came along. It can be seen as a wedding song but I wrote it as a song of proposal. When I first began writing songs there was no VH1 or MTV and when you wrote a song you played your imaginary video to the song in your head. Now a days it seems many songs are written with the video first and then the words. This is the only song on "Grandfather Moon" that was fully recorded before the project and was mixed and added to the CD to fit with the other songs.

Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

Jerry Corelli

This Woman In Love With Me

In this song I wanted to describe the little things my wife does in our everyday romance that shows me how much in love we are. It may sound like, from the song, that she doesn't have a career. However, she does have a career and still finds time to show her love just like in the song.

Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

Jerry Corelli

So This Is How Love Feels

In this song I wanted to describe how love felt to me. My favorite line in the song is, "So this is how love feels, a never ending vineyard that begins with just one seed". I know that's how love is with me and my wife. I feel that our love continues to grow as we continue to discover new things about each other. Our love continues to grow like a never ending vineyard.

Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

Jerry Corelli

You're My Island

This was one of the first songs I wrote for my wife "Liv". I felt, and still do, that I was a ship searching for an island, the island being her true love. It was also the first song one of my back up singers, Natalie, sang. Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

Jerry Corelli

Marriage Seed

A few years ago I received a call from a bride to be who attended my church. She went to a later service than my wife and I so we hadn't met. However, she had been told that I sang one of my songs at a previous service, and since the soloist for her wedding had to cancel at the last minute, her mother suggested she should ask me to sing. When she called she suggested I sing the song I sang for the church. But since she'd never heard the song she couldn't now it wasn't really a song for a wedding. I then asked her if she didn't mind me writing a wedding song. Her response was to say the least surprised. "You could do that?" I recall her asking. After our phone conversation I went into the studio and in about an hour "Marriage Seed" was completed. It's been one of my favorites and the favorite of many listeners who hear my songs. Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

If I Didn't Have You

One day I sat down and wrote out things that would not exist if they didn't have something else. For example, a sentence would not be a complete sentence if it didn't have a verb. A piano would not be a piano without keys or a guitar without strings. Or what would grass be, or look like, if it wasn't green? I then began thinking that is how I'd be without my wife "Liv". I'd be an opera singer who never sings. Words & Music by Jerry Corelli

Jerry Corelli

"Grandfather Moon" Available on CDBaby.com